Abstract: Method for regulating travel of a golf cart or all-terrain vehicle includes determining, using an electronic controller on the golf cart or all-terrain vehicle, seatbelt usage for each occupant of the golf cart or all-terrain vehicle, and determining, using the electronic controller, whether the golf cart or all-terrain vehicle is travelling on or about to travel on a road which permits higher speed operation of golf carts and all-terrain vehicles. When it is determined that the golf cart or all-terrain vehicle is travelling on a road which permits higher speed operation of golf carts and all-terrain vehicles, travel of the golf cart or all-terrain vehicle is enabled on the road which permits higher speed operation only when all occupants are determined to be properly wearing seatbelts or the seatbelts are determined to be in buckled and/or spooled-out a set distance or within a distance range.

Abstract: System, arrangement and method for tolling includes a location determining system arranged at least partly in a vehicle to determine the vehicle location during vehicular travel, a memory device that stores data about predetermined locations, and a processor coupled to the location determining system and that compares the determined vehicle location to data in the memory device to determine whether a transmission of the location is necessary and if so, directs the transmission to a remote site via the Internet. The memory device and/or processor may also be arranged on the vehicle, i.e., to provide a completely vehicle-resident system that may be installed on the vehicle during manufacture or retrofit to the vehicle.

Abstract: Driving condition monitoring system and method includes animal detecting components that detect presence of an animal, each located in a stationary mounting structure in a vicinity of the travel surface and apart from the travel surface, and a vehicle detecting sensor coupled to each animal detecting component and that is activated to detect the presence of a vehicle within a set distance therefrom only when the animal detecting component coupled to the vehicle detecting sensor detects the presence of an animal in the vicinity of the animal detecting component. A communication system is coupled to each animal detecting component and communicates directly to the vehicle or occupant thereof, the detected presence of an animal in the vicinity of the animal detecting component when the vehicle detecting sensor coupled to the animal detecting component detects the presence of a vehicle within the set distance from the vehicle detecting sensor.

Abstract: Vehicle-mounted device includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) having at least one accelerometer or gyroscope, a GPS receiver, a camera positioned to obtain unobstructed images of an area exterior of the vehicle and a control system coupled to these components. The control system re-calibrates each accelerometer or gyroscope using signals obtained by the GPS receiver, and derives information about objects in the images obtained by the camera and location of the objects based on data from the IMU and GPS receiver. A communication system communicates the information derived by the control system to a location separate and apart from the vehicle. The control system includes a processor that provides a location of the camera and a direction in which the camera is imaging based on data from the IMU corrected based on data from the GPS receiver, for use in creating the map database.

Abstract: Vehicular navigation system updating system includes condition detectors that detect presence of an object or condition potentially interfering with movement of vehicles on a roadway, each condition detector being located on or alongside the roadway or in a vehicle. A signal, data or information about the detected presence of the object or condition is transmitted to a remote site at which a processor generates an update for a map based on the detected presence of the object or condition and directs communication of the map update to vehicles in a vicinity of a location at which the condition detector detected the presence of the object or condition. The vehicular navigation system of each vehicle uses the map with the map update to display or otherwise indicate the presence of the object or condition. Another map update is generated when the absence of the object or condition is determined.

Abstract: Electrical system for a vehicle that provides power and communications to vehicular devices includes a (singular) electrical bus having elongate wires, and connector assemblies situated at different locations along the wires. The connector assemblies include a splice housing defining an inlet and outlet for the wires, the wires passing from the inlet to the outlet through the splice housing without being interrupted, and a connector attached to the splice housing. An electrical conduit, such as one or more wires, is attached at one end region to each connector and at an opposite end region to a respective cluster or cluster control unit. Each cluster or cluster control unit is electrically coupled to at least one vehicular device. Power and communications are provided to the vehicular devices by a power source and communications source through the bus.

Abstract: Vehicle including a seat on which an occupant sits, a set of at least one electric field antenna arranged in the seat, and a control unit coupled to the antenna set and configured to direct one or more antennas to transmit an oscillating electric field at a frequency that enables the electric field to be conducted through the seated occupant. An electrical circuit is coupled to a vehicular component and has a conductive surface in a position accessible by the occupant's finger. Proximity of the occupant's finger to or contact with the conductive surface, when an antenna is transmitting an oscillating electric field conducted through the occupant, causes a capacitive coupling to develop between the occupant and the conductive surface and completion of the circuit. This enables control of the component by the occupant's finger, which may be adjustment or change in the state, condition or operation of the component.

Abstract: Vehicular arrangement for obtaining information about objects exterior to the vehicle includes distance measuring systems fixed to the vehicle along the windshield, an edge or side of the vehicle, each including a camera that obtains images of objects exterior of the vehicle and a processor that determines a distance between the vehicle and objects included in images obtained by the camera and a speed of the objects based on the successive distance determinations. A reactive system is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the distance measuring systems, and considers distance between the objects and the vehicle and the speed of the objects and reacts accordingly. A position of the distance measuring systems is selected to encompass an area in front of the vehicle, an area behind the vehicle and an area on each side of the vehicle in the fixed fields of view of the distance measuring systems.

Abstract: Vehicle including a seat on which an occupant sits, a set of at least one electric field antenna arranged in the seat, and a control unit coupled to the antenna set and configured to direct one or more antennas to generate an oscillating electric field at a frequency that enables the electric field to be conducted through the seated occupant. An electrical circuit is coupled to a vehicular component and has a conductive surface in a position accessible by the occupant's finger. Proximity of the occupant's finger to or contact with the conductive surface, when an antenna is generating an oscillating electric field conducted through the occupant, causes a capacitive coupling to develop between the occupant and the conductive surface and completion of the circuit. This enables control of the component by the occupant's finger, which may be adjustment or change in the state, condition or operation of the component.

Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicle including a smartphone-engaging coupling element. Data about operational status of the vehicle is transferred from one or more vehicle-resident systems to a smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element. Commands are received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element, which commands being based in part on data previously transferred from the vehicle-resident system(s) to the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element. A vehicular system, e.g., seat positioning system, mirror positioning system, passenger compartment temperature control system, route guidance or navigation system, changes its operation in accordance with the commands received by the vehicle from the smartphone when the smartphone is engaged with the coupling element.

Abstract: Interior monitoring system of a vehicle wherein at least one transducer is arranged on a first side of the structure of the vehicle and transmits waves toward an opposite, second side of the structure so that any objects contained in the interior space of the structure are situated between the first and second sides. Each transducer receives waves reflected from any objects between the first and second sides. A processor is coupled to each transducer and obtains information about any objects from which waves have been reflected and received thereby. Each transducer may be arranged to transmit infrared waves into the interior space, e.g., infrared waves in an eye-safe range.

Abstract: Method for enabling interaction with a vehicle including coupling a smartphone to the vehicle via a coupling element whereby the smartphone is removable from the coupling element and thus removable from the vehicle, and transferring data between the smartphone and the vehicle while the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle via the coupling element. The data transfer enables a large number of operations to be performed when the smartphone is coupled to the vehicle, including vehicle ignition authorization, accident prediction, collision avoidance, vehicular diagnostics and prognostics, remote communication capabilities, and optimization of emergency response personnel.

Abstract: System for monitoring an environment, such as a vehicular environment, including at least one sound-receiving/vibration-detecting component that receives sounds from an environment in or around the vehicle, a processor coupled to the at least one sound-receiving/vibration-detecting component and that analyzes the sounds to identify non-speech sounds, and a communications device coupled to the processor that transmits a signal, data or information about analysis by the processor of the identified non-speech sounds.

Abstract: Asset including an arrangement for monitoring objects in an interior of the asset includes at least first and second optical imagers for obtaining images of a common area of the interior and which are spaced apart from one another, and processing circuitry coupled to the first and second imagers and arranged to derive information about objects in the interior from images obtained by the first and second imagers. A communication system may be arranged on the asset and coupled to the processing circuitry. The communication system wirelessly transmits the information about the objects to a remote facility. A location determining system may be arranged on the asset to monitor the location of the asset so that the communication system also transmits the location of the asset to the remote facility.

Abstract: Method for monitoring assets that include a sensor system that obtains data about contents thereof, a processor that derives information about the contents from the sensor data, and a communication system that, when linked to a communications network, wirelessly transmits the information derived by the processor via the Internet. The information is received at a data processing and storage facility, associated with a unique identification code for each asset, and stored in association with the identification code. Access to the stored information is effected via the Internet.

Abstract: Method for interacting with a vehicle includes controlling interaction with the vehicle based on receipt of a signal by a component on the vehicle, and generating the signal based on biometric data entered via a portable communications device proximate the vehicle. The entered biometric data may be verified as biometric data of a driver of the vehicle prior to generating the signal. The biometric data may be a fingerprint, a palm print, a hand print, a facial image, and/or a voiceprint, all of which may be obtained using the communications device, e.g., a smartphone. The controlled interaction with the vehicle may be maintaining a brake lockout mechanism coupled to at least one brake of the vehicle in a locked state until the signal is received and/or maintaining at least one door of the vehicle in a locked state until the signal is received.

Abstract: Techniques for obtaining information about an object on which a radio-frequency transceiver device is mounted when in a space defined by a vehicular frame. A request is generated at a telecommunications device for the object's location and received at an interrogator on the frame. In response to receipt of the request, the interrogator directs antennas to transmit RF signals into the space. The transceiver device returns a signal if and when it receives any signal or a signal having a particular identification from the antenna(s). Return signals from the transceiver device are received at each antenna and a processor, on the vehicle or the telecommunications device, derives information about the object based on the return signals. The derived information includes a location of the object in the space and/or an identification of the object, and may be displayed on a display of the telecommunications device.

Abstract: System and method for tolling includes a location determining system arranged in a vehicle to determine its location during vehicular travel, a memory device that stores data about predetermined locations, and a processor coupled to the location determining system and that compares the location of the location determining system to data in the memory device to determine whether a transmission of the location is necessary and if so, directs the transmission to a remote site via the Internet. The memory device and/or processor may also be arranged on the vehicle, i.e., to provide a completely vehicle-resident system that may be installed on the vehicle during manufacture or retrofit to the vehicle.

Abstract: System and method for monitoring emissions from a cell phone in a vehicle having a driver side and a passenger side, using several antennas at different locations. A receiver is associated with each antenna and includes at least one amplifier and a rectifier module that converting radio frequency signals to direct current signals. A microprocessor processes the direct current signals received and determines based thereon a phase shift or difference between signals received by two or more of the antennas, which can be correlated to a most likely location of a cell phone being used by an occupant in the vehicle.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for monitoring a structure at a fixed location, e.g., a house, parked boat or parked airplane, includes a monitoring or sensor system arranged to obtain information about the structure, an exterior of the structure and/or an interior of the structure different than the location of the structure, and a communication system coupled to the sensor system and being provided with a location of the structure. The communication system transmits the information about the structure obtained by the sensor system and the location of the structure to a remote facility. The remote facility can therefore monitor the structure, and take steps to ensure the integrity of the reservoir and the fluid therein. To enable wireless and powerless monitoring, a power source independent of a power grid extending outside of the trailer may be provided to supply power to the sensor system and the communications unit.